Involving from a combination of contactless identification and networking technologies, near field communication (NFC) is a wireless connectivity technology that enables convenient short-range communication between electronic devices. NFC is a very short-range wireless technology, for distances measured in centimeters, and is optimized for intuitive, easy and secure communication between various devices without user configuration. In order to make two devices communicate, users bring them close together or even make them touch. The devices' NFC interfaces will automatically connect and configure themselves to form a peer to peer network.
A further application of NFC is the combination of NFC applications with smart card security concept so that devices act like contactless smart cart with cryptographic capabilities. This NFC technology can be denoted as secure NFC and is standardized in ISO 18092, ECMA 340 and ECGS 102190. NFC is also compatible to the broadly established contactless smart card infrastructure based on ISO 14443 A.
The secure NFC can be included in wireless mobile communication devices like mobile phones, PDAs and the like. This means that confidential data and data that represents values is stored in a secure memory area and always stays on the mobile communication device. An authentication is performed by the secure NFC functionality included, for example, in a PDA or mobile phone and transmitted data can be encrypted by the secure NFC functionality using a private encryption key stored on the mobile phone.
The implementation of the secure NFC functionality into a wireless mobile communication device like a mobile phone allows the application of the mobile phone as for example a virtual stored transport ticket or an access key to a building (home or office), wherein the ticket or the access key is transferred by the secure NFC functionality of the mobile phone for granting the access to a transport means or a building.
However, wireless mobile communication devices have to be equipped with autonomous energy sources due to their mobile character. Such energy sources are usually batteries or accumulators, which can be recharged. Hence, it is conceivable that the readiness of operation of the wireless mobile communication device is not always guaranteed as the battery or the accumulator is unloaded by the time. Therefore, it is possible that the NFC functionality of the mobile phone is not available if needed. This, of course, creates problems for a user when he needs to transfer ticket data or access data via secure NFC in order to get an access to a building, a train or train station, a laboratory room, etc.